Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday, November 5 at 2:00 a.m., so remember to TURN your clocks back one hour before you go to sleep. While tackling the clock changing, the American Red Cross reminds everyone it’s the perfect time to TEST the batteries in their smoke alarms too.

Home Fire Campaign A fire in someone’s home is the greatest disaster threat we face. During a home fire, smoke alarms help save lives. If you don’t have them, install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Check local building codes for additional requirements. If you have smoke alarms, test them to make sure they are working. If they are ten years old, replace them.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters every year – the majority of which are home fires. That means that every day in this country, on average, seven people are killed in a home fire and another 36 people suffer injuries. To end these tragedies and save lives, the Red Cross launched a nationwide Home Fire Campaign in 2014 with the goal of reducing the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent.

The campaign is making a difference. As of July 31, 2017, the Red Cross and our partners have saved at least 285 lives through the Home Fire Campaign. The campaign is happening all over the country and involves Red Cross workers joining with local fire departments and community groups to visit neighborhoods at high risk for fires. Those visits include educating people about fire safety through door-to-door visits and installation of smoke alarms in some of these neighborhoods. Find out more here.

MORE SAFETY STEPS While you’re at it, this weekend is also a good time to take these steps to make sure your household is prepared for emergencies.

Check carbon monoxide detectors.

Get a kit. Build an emergency kit in an easy-to-carry tote that contains supplies for about three days, to include a gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications and copies of important documents. Full details are available here.

Make a plan. Have all household members plan what steps they should take if an emergency occurs so everyone knows what to do in a crisis.

People can visit redcross.org to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire or contact their local Red Cross to find out about smoke alarm installation events in their community. They can also help by volunteering their time or making a donation today to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.